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Colic?!
Any moms out there who've had babies with colic? What exactly is colic? When does it typically show up and typically end?
Zoë is a great, happy baby! But there are times when she just cries and I can't figure it out. She's not teething, she's not hot, she's not wet/poopy, not hungry, etc., etc. She just cries! I think maybe overstimulation or that she is overtired. So that is why I'm wondering about colic.
My other two girls didn't have this issue so I'm at a loss. Z definitely cries more than her sisters did. Elaina was happy so long as I was holding her. Abigail NEVER cried. I'm serious! Even when she was sick or teething she never cried. She cries now, as a toddler, and is making up for it. But anyway I just haven't dealt with a baby who cries for no apparent reason. And it breaks my heart!
When she is tired she doesn't want to sleep and will fight it. She is her name- which means LIFE. She wants to be a part of everything and doesn't want to miss it. But I also don't want her to cry or be in pain or whatever may be going on! Help!
Zoë is a great, happy baby! But there are times when she just cries and I can't figure it out. She's not teething, she's not hot, she's not wet/poopy, not hungry, etc., etc. She just cries! I think maybe overstimulation or that she is overtired. So that is why I'm wondering about colic.
My other two girls didn't have this issue so I'm at a loss. Z definitely cries more than her sisters did. Elaina was happy so long as I was holding her. Abigail NEVER cried. I'm serious! Even when she was sick or teething she never cried. She cries now, as a toddler, and is making up for it. But anyway I just haven't dealt with a baby who cries for no apparent reason. And it breaks my heart!
When she is tired she doesn't want to sleep and will fight it. She is her name- which means LIFE. She wants to be a part of everything and doesn't want to miss it. But I also don't want her to cry or be in pain or whatever may be going on! Help!
AnxiousGurl- wow, that sounds awful! I'm a neat freak but I def could stand to tweak my diet. I LOVE dairy (I can drink 1-2 glasses of milk a day, yummo) so perhaps it is something I'm eating!
Otherwise I think she's just had enough at the end of the day?! Even now she is sitting on my lap nursing and fussing at me while rubbing her eyes. Better go.
Otherwise I think she's just had enough at the end of the day?! Even now she is sitting on my lap nursing and fussing at me while rubbing her eyes. Better go.
sounds like it's just typical infant evening fussiness. My first did that, exactly like you describe. When I asked the ped about it, he said it could be a "touch of colic" and explained it basically as sensory overload towards the end of the day. this little one still gets like that most evenings... but to me it's nothing compared to how she used to be.
I would definately keep a food log, I know some children are more sensitive & needy then others. Im a nanny to 4yr old twins (been watching them since they were 4mos.) They were VERY colic. I know the mom didnt keep up with a healthy diet and although they live in a very nice house, they had 2 dogs and she was not at all a homemaker, one dog was constantly barking, the fur was everywhere....I think for them it was a combo of the enviroment and her diet. The girl is still needy and sensitive but she is also competing for attention (twins are very hard to take care of) but I would deefinately see what the pediatrician says. Best of luck!!
Joy, I didn't read all of the replies, but Mary has had her moments where she was fussy and most especially at night. My ped did suggest overstimulation being a cause, which I had also read about. My ped said it was actually a normal developmental thing and suggested everything you just mentioned about getting the lighting down and the noise level down, etc. So, that is all very good. But one night, I decided I had to try something different (I had already done those things), so I gave her some Tylenol, Mylicon (gas drops) and her Prevacid. And no, not all at the same time. I did space it out, but I did do them all in the evening time. Do you know that she did so much better that night? She actually went to sleep like a normal little thing without all of the upset. Anyway, I did it for a few nights and then slowly stopped it, and now it is much better. Well she still goes to bed when she feels like it, but not with nearly as much problem as I had there for a short time. Just remember that they can actually start to feel the effects/pain of teething months before they actually cut teeth. (I read that and have found it to be true) And for a baby to have gas from time to time is very normal as well, no matter what you eat. Mylicon is perfectly safe from birth. Anyway, it's worth a try.
Good luck!
Good luck!
Bella starts whining when i put her in her bed. ----- Yes shes FINALLY falling asleep in her crib!!! :D im very proud of her...... anyway last night i started "reading" for her to fall asleep..... my husband bought a nursery rymes book.......... Mother GOose..... she passes out!!!!! the poems all ryme and it flows........ and she just gets tired and falls asleep....... i will do this everyday now. it works very well. Bella too always got fussy around bedtime. I think she also was overstimulated...... :) Maybe itll work for u too!!! :) try it!!! just put her in bed and start reading in a calm and quiet voice.... :)
Wow, lots of great information! I can't respond to each person so I'll just respond to some of the points.
Based on the descriptions it probably is not colic. Most likely overstimulation. Because it starts up around 5 pm where she just gets whiny. Heck, that's when I start to feel like crud and want to whine myself. It's just the end of the day and I'm tired. Around 7-8 pm when we're putting her big sisters to bed she gets upset and cries. I try to keep lights low, noises down, etc. but I probably need to figure out when to do it BEFORE she gets upset.
She sleeps a LOT so I don't think it is being overtired based on what someone said here. But thank you for your information! And I hope your LO gets some good sleep for you soon!!!
She doesn't have gas/spit up/reflux issues. Maybe it is something I am eating causing stomach discomfort though. I'll keep a food log and see what foods really give her a hard time.
tiredbuthappy- she doesn't cry inconsolably for that long. Maybe 15 minutes and I just try different things. I usually tick her off though. Because I'll try holding her in different positions, then I'll try to lay her down, then try to see if she wants to swing, etc. and her cries will escalate as though to say, "Come on, Mom! Why can't you just do what I want?!"
Laura, on my other post I mentioned how to do the accent over the e!
Perhaps Z is just a highly sensitive person (to noise, lights, etc.). I am highly sensitive and cannot stand a lot of noise and stimulation. She startles easily at loud noises, even when in the womb. I'll talk to the pediatrician about it next time I see her!
Based on the descriptions it probably is not colic. Most likely overstimulation. Because it starts up around 5 pm where she just gets whiny. Heck, that's when I start to feel like crud and want to whine myself. It's just the end of the day and I'm tired. Around 7-8 pm when we're putting her big sisters to bed she gets upset and cries. I try to keep lights low, noises down, etc. but I probably need to figure out when to do it BEFORE she gets upset.
She sleeps a LOT so I don't think it is being overtired based on what someone said here. But thank you for your information! And I hope your LO gets some good sleep for you soon!!!
She doesn't have gas/spit up/reflux issues. Maybe it is something I am eating causing stomach discomfort though. I'll keep a food log and see what foods really give her a hard time.
tiredbuthappy- she doesn't cry inconsolably for that long. Maybe 15 minutes and I just try different things. I usually tick her off though. Because I'll try holding her in different positions, then I'll try to lay her down, then try to see if she wants to swing, etc. and her cries will escalate as though to say, "Come on, Mom! Why can't you just do what I want?!"
Laura, on my other post I mentioned how to do the accent over the e!
Perhaps Z is just a highly sensitive person (to noise, lights, etc.). I am highly sensitive and cannot stand a lot of noise and stimulation. She startles easily at loud noises, even when in the womb. I'll talk to the pediatrician about it next time I see her!
Hey Joy,
The Doctor told me that Jaxson was colic.. I don't know if I buy into the whole "colicky" thing, it has a million deiiferent definitions, and I think it is an overused label that really means "we arent sure what is wrong with your baby." Jax was like clockwork, 6:30- 7PM EVERY night (started around 3 months) until 9:30-10PM.. You could literally set your clock by it. We were always on the go and I thought it was overstimulation. I would take him in his room and rock him, and that SOMETIMES helped, but more often that not, he would just be unconsoleable. I was at our Dr.'s office constantly, and they never gave me anything that actually helped. Jaxson has reflux, so they did give me meds for that, and I kept him on the meds for months, and didnt notice ANY change, so I discontinued use, and I was right... It did NOTHING.. Some babies just cry more than others. Jax is big crier and I learned to know his cries.. Now at 13 months, he is great, but the first 9 months were really tough.. I think around 8.5-9.5 months was when he FINALLY stopped all the crying for that predictable couple of hours every evening. I know this may not be super helpful, I just wanted to tell you to hang in there. It is pretty awful listening to your baby cry and not being able to console them. I know I always felt so helpless. =(
I would definitely talk to your pediatrician, but Zoe may just be a very vocal (crying often) baby. Keep us posted, and how do you get the dots of the "e" on Zoe's name?
The Doctor told me that Jaxson was colic.. I don't know if I buy into the whole "colicky" thing, it has a million deiiferent definitions, and I think it is an overused label that really means "we arent sure what is wrong with your baby." Jax was like clockwork, 6:30- 7PM EVERY night (started around 3 months) until 9:30-10PM.. You could literally set your clock by it. We were always on the go and I thought it was overstimulation. I would take him in his room and rock him, and that SOMETIMES helped, but more often that not, he would just be unconsoleable. I was at our Dr.'s office constantly, and they never gave me anything that actually helped. Jaxson has reflux, so they did give me meds for that, and I kept him on the meds for months, and didnt notice ANY change, so I discontinued use, and I was right... It did NOTHING.. Some babies just cry more than others. Jax is big crier and I learned to know his cries.. Now at 13 months, he is great, but the first 9 months were really tough.. I think around 8.5-9.5 months was when he FINALLY stopped all the crying for that predictable couple of hours every evening. I know this may not be super helpful, I just wanted to tell you to hang in there. It is pretty awful listening to your baby cry and not being able to console them. I know I always felt so helpless. =(
I would definitely talk to your pediatrician, but Zoe may just be a very vocal (crying often) baby. Keep us posted, and how do you get the dots of the "e" on Zoe's name?
by the way, i am convinced that those who claim colic doesn't exist or say "all babies are fussy at times" have never experienced severe colic. my heart goes out to all families that go through it. talk to a parent who didn't go through it, and they try to sound sympathetic. talk to someone who lived it, and they often actually get very emotional/weepy when they discuss it, especially if it was in the past few years. i recently discussed it with a DAD whose baby was colicky and his eyes actually welled up during the conversation.
colic is defined as a baby who cries at least 3 hours each night, for at least 3 days a week, for at least 3 weeks, with no apparent cause for this crying. It usually sets in between 2 and 4 weeks, and lasts until 8 to 12 weeks of age.
It is not fussing. It is inconsolable crying. It often comes along with reflux, although babies without reflux may also suffer from colic.
This baby was colicky. Hers was due to both reflux and an immature neurological system. She was very easily overstimulated during the day and we paid at night. At her worst, she would shriek from 6 PM until 1 AM. She even burst my husband's eardrum- made his ear bleed. It was horrible and the most difficult thing i endured. I would sit and cry with her.
There were some things that helped, but you have to just stick it out. swaddling and loud white noise helped, as did bouncing up and down. she seemed a little soothed by being held as we bounced on an exercise ball.minimizing stimulation during the day helped, and studies show that babies carried a lot or worn during the day cry less at night.
good news is that a colicky baby doesn't necessarily mean a fussy baby when older. dd is now 6 months. we still have reflux issues and some sensory sensitivity at times, but she is overall very jolly and not high maintenence.
It is not fussing. It is inconsolable crying. It often comes along with reflux, although babies without reflux may also suffer from colic.
This baby was colicky. Hers was due to both reflux and an immature neurological system. She was very easily overstimulated during the day and we paid at night. At her worst, she would shriek from 6 PM until 1 AM. She even burst my husband's eardrum- made his ear bleed. It was horrible and the most difficult thing i endured. I would sit and cry with her.
There were some things that helped, but you have to just stick it out. swaddling and loud white noise helped, as did bouncing up and down. she seemed a little soothed by being held as we bounced on an exercise ball.minimizing stimulation during the day helped, and studies show that babies carried a lot or worn during the day cry less at night.
good news is that a colicky baby doesn't necessarily mean a fussy baby when older. dd is now 6 months. we still have reflux issues and some sensory sensitivity at times, but she is overall very jolly and not high maintenence.
i don't know if my son has colic or not but what works for us is swaddling i only swaddled for a few days maybe a week after he was born and then stopped it then around 7-8 weeks he started to really cry for no reason what so ever so i warmed up a receiving blanket and a bigger blanket (cause the receiving blankets wont fit him and then wrapped him in the warm blankets and he would do great sometimes he feel asleep and sometimes he stayed awake but i think it just gave him closure it might be something you want to try
Colic can be several different things. Sometimes Chiropractics can fix colic, but only if it's a specific type. They use some special thermometer to get the temp behind the ears, if there off then they can fix it. (We had our son checked as he was colicky too, but this wasn't his issue).
Other times it's usually reflex or issues digesting things. Are you breastfeeding? If so it could be something your eating, for me when I ate a lot of dairy my son would get SO bad! Otherwise look into reflex issues, your baby could have silent reflex if there not showing any signs. Good Luck!
JillyHemp316 - Colic can not be passed down. My sister in law had horrible colic yet her baby was so mild and hardly cried. I also had colic, and my son had colic, but for different reasons. For me I believe it was reflex, yet my son it was dairy.
Other times it's usually reflex or issues digesting things. Are you breastfeeding? If so it could be something your eating, for me when I ate a lot of dairy my son would get SO bad! Otherwise look into reflex issues, your baby could have silent reflex if there not showing any signs. Good Luck!
JillyHemp316 - Colic can not be passed down. My sister in law had horrible colic yet her baby was so mild and hardly cried. I also had colic, and my son had colic, but for different reasons. For me I believe it was reflex, yet my son it was dairy.
My 1 1/2 year old was colic, at first the Dr thought that she had Acid Reflux and that that would go away around 9 months.but I knew that wasnt the problem...call it mothers intuition..She cried constantly...I didnt sleep for the first 4 months. At about 4 months it stopped. The only thing that would sooth her was a warm bath. At some times we would bath her at 3-4 in the morning, sometime 4 times a day. My husband and I are very happy, not too much stress...and she was constantly stimulated...Im not sure why she was like that but she is now a happy, healthy, BUSY toddler..lol
Does anybody know if colic is..crap what's the word..pregnancy stupids again..I cannot remember the word. Anyway can colic be passed down from the parents? Because I was colicky, and I just want to prepare myself if I could get a colicky baby.
colic is like being very gassy but kind of like abdominal pain in infants, discomfort and etc and they do cry alot all the time but have other symptoms as well
My little one was like that too, she is now 18 months old, and I have had 4 hours of sleep every day for those 18 months lol.
She cries quite a lot and whines a lot too. She should be having 14 hours of sleep a day and gets about 7 throughout the day and night.
In the beginning she was colic, she had trouble burping, and she would throw up more than normal, and I think she had gas bubbles stuck. My pediatrician told us to put an adult size pillow under one side of her mattress to lift up the side that her head lies on.
That seemed to definitely help.
I have tried to have her show me what she wants... I have tried sitting with her, comforting her, baths and such.
When she was real little, I would actually restart her whole night schedule. We would play for a bit, I would make sure she was not hungry, give her a bath, and try putting her down again.
Depending upon how old Zoe is, it could even be something that is causing her to cry, some sort of discomfort or anxiety.
I found out my little one could hear us in the living room and just wanted to join the fun. So to stop that, I went to target and bought a spa clock. It plays the ocean, rain, white noise, heartbeat, waterfall, the whole nine and has volume control. That has seemed to be working as of late. We have had it for about 2 weeks now, and she seems to enjoy falling asleep to the ocean sound.
There are a few things to try both medical related and home wise. If you are dealing with a baby that cries quite often especially one 6 months and under, then I would certainly either call or make an appointment to talk her pediatrician about it. Other than that she may just be a high maintenance little thing like mine is lol. It will take you a few tries to find out what works for you.
Hope that helped some mommy!
She cries quite a lot and whines a lot too. She should be having 14 hours of sleep a day and gets about 7 throughout the day and night.
In the beginning she was colic, she had trouble burping, and she would throw up more than normal, and I think she had gas bubbles stuck. My pediatrician told us to put an adult size pillow under one side of her mattress to lift up the side that her head lies on.
That seemed to definitely help.
I have tried to have her show me what she wants... I have tried sitting with her, comforting her, baths and such.
When she was real little, I would actually restart her whole night schedule. We would play for a bit, I would make sure she was not hungry, give her a bath, and try putting her down again.
Depending upon how old Zoe is, it could even be something that is causing her to cry, some sort of discomfort or anxiety.
I found out my little one could hear us in the living room and just wanted to join the fun. So to stop that, I went to target and bought a spa clock. It plays the ocean, rain, white noise, heartbeat, waterfall, the whole nine and has volume control. That has seemed to be working as of late. We have had it for about 2 weeks now, and she seems to enjoy falling asleep to the ocean sound.
There are a few things to try both medical related and home wise. If you are dealing with a baby that cries quite often especially one 6 months and under, then I would certainly either call or make an appointment to talk her pediatrician about it. Other than that she may just be a high maintenance little thing like mine is lol. It will take you a few tries to find out what works for you.
Hope that helped some mommy!
There are lots of definitions for it depending on who you are talking to. SOme belive that colic does not really exist and that a baby has food problems that are not being delt with, some belive it is just when babies cry no matter what at times of the day, and some belive that it is due to stimulation and if the parents or enviroment is tense for baby.
I am not sure what to believe in the issue myself. I think you just have to learn your baby. It sounds like what my second one did. She started doing it around a week old. But then I notticed that she (well I guess yours is not like mine) would cry if she did nto see me even if I talked to her. She would get startled when I walked into the room. I found out about at 3 months she had hearing loss. I wore her all the time and she stopped. She did not cry for that long. I figured it out in a couple days or so.
I knwo with my neices and nephews would cry more in the evening and that is when they had the most stimualtion with more noise around. If I took them into a quiet room and let them play with theri gym, use a swing or just talk to them they were fine, I say it might be stimulation but then again I am not at your house.
None of my other two cried like that. I would never let them and they would just make small noises when they needed me and they learned that was all they ahd to do. if I could not go to them right away I would talk to them and they were fine as long as I kept talking.
You are bf right? I would try a quiet bath in lavender somthing and not have much stimulation during that time. Or wearing her all the time except for a few short times for her to get tummy time or look at colors or a gym. Try that for a few days and see if it helps. She does not get startled when you walk into room when she firsts sees you even if you ar talking to her before does she? Just asking becasue Sophie had no signs of her hearing loss other then that. She would engage and watch and seemed to listen to me other times that I was in front of her.
You say she fights sleep and the older she gets the longer she will want to stay awake so she will be able to put up a bigger fight in my opinion:) Just try the quiet time before she gets to the point she starts crying if you know when that will be. I hope she gets happier for you and her! That would break my heart too!
I saw she cried for 2.5 hours then feel asleep, poor thing! If it is not stimulation then maybe she has and ear infection or something and the pressure builds, just thinking outloud. Best of luck
I am not sure what to believe in the issue myself. I think you just have to learn your baby. It sounds like what my second one did. She started doing it around a week old. But then I notticed that she (well I guess yours is not like mine) would cry if she did nto see me even if I talked to her. She would get startled when I walked into the room. I found out about at 3 months she had hearing loss. I wore her all the time and she stopped. She did not cry for that long. I figured it out in a couple days or so.
I knwo with my neices and nephews would cry more in the evening and that is when they had the most stimualtion with more noise around. If I took them into a quiet room and let them play with theri gym, use a swing or just talk to them they were fine, I say it might be stimulation but then again I am not at your house.
None of my other two cried like that. I would never let them and they would just make small noises when they needed me and they learned that was all they ahd to do. if I could not go to them right away I would talk to them and they were fine as long as I kept talking.
You are bf right? I would try a quiet bath in lavender somthing and not have much stimulation during that time. Or wearing her all the time except for a few short times for her to get tummy time or look at colors or a gym. Try that for a few days and see if it helps. She does not get startled when you walk into room when she firsts sees you even if you ar talking to her before does she? Just asking becasue Sophie had no signs of her hearing loss other then that. She would engage and watch and seemed to listen to me other times that I was in front of her.
You say she fights sleep and the older she gets the longer she will want to stay awake so she will be able to put up a bigger fight in my opinion:) Just try the quiet time before she gets to the point she starts crying if you know when that will be. I hope she gets happier for you and her! That would break my heart too!
I saw she cried for 2.5 hours then feel asleep, poor thing! If it is not stimulation then maybe she has and ear infection or something and the pressure builds, just thinking outloud. Best of luck
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